Compelled To Minister

In the message "Let It Shine" we considered our responsibility to shine
the
light of Jesus into the world. God will sometimes use powerful
preachers
to share the gospel message with thousands; but most often, He uses
common
people like you and me to share His love with one individual at a time.

Sharing the gospel usually does not come naturally. We fear being
offensive or rejected, and mostly we fear not having the right answers.
A
portion of these fears are perfectly natural. But our fears are always

magnified by the enemy who seeks to keep us silent. Satan hates for us
to
speak the truth!

God chose Jeremiah to be a prophet forty years prior to Israel's
captivity
in Babylon. This was a difficult time to be God's spokesman - His
message
was not at all pleasant. From his first days as a prophet, Jeremiah
was
told to speak of approaching doom; "From the north disaster will be
poured
out on all who live in the land" (Jeremiah 1:14). God was going to
discipline the nation for their many years of sinful rebellion and
Jeremiah
was sent to warn and explain why.

Jeremiah had his share of fear about sharing God's message; "Ah,
Sovereign
Lord, I do not know how to speak; I am only a child" (Jeremiah 1:6).
His
words certainly match some of ours today. But Jeremiah was obedient
and
placed his trust in God's promise; "Do not be afraid of them, for I am
with
you and will rescue you" (Jeremiah 1:.

After many years of proclaiming God's message, Jeremiah's life had
become
nearly unbearable. Nobody believed his message and, instead of
repenting,
the people mocked and ridiculed; "The Word of the Lord has brought me
insult and reproach all day long" (Jeremiah 20:. Jeremiah had every
reason to walk away from his calling, but something wonderful had taken

root in his heart.

Jeremiah 20:9
"If I say, 'I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,' His
Word
is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of
holding it in; indeed, I cannot."

For many years, Jeremiah had pressed close to God, seeking His
direction
and desiring to do His will. Jeremiah knew the presence of God and
could
not conceive of life apart from His Lord. Despite great hardship, he
could
no longer imagine his life void of ministering and proclaiming God's
Truth!

His Word is never a burden too heavy to carry. But we will continue to

struggle until we draw close and fill our lives with His presence.
When we
can see nothing but His majesty and glory, His Word will no longer be
contained. Only then will we truly shine. Only then will we be
compelled
to minister.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries

“Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?”
- Eze_15:2
These words are for the humbling of God’s people; we are called God’s vine, but what are we by nature more than others? We, by God’s goodness, have become fruitful, having been planted in a good soil; the Lord has trained us upon the walls of the sanctuary, and we bring forth fruit to His glory; but what are we without our God? What are we without the continual influence of the Spirit, bearing fruitfulness in us? O believer, learn to reject pride, seeing that you have no ground for it. Whatever you are, you have nothing to make you proud. The more you have, the more you are in debt to God; and you should not be proud of that which renders you a debtor. Consider your origin; look back to what you were. Consider what you would have been but for divine grace. Look upon yourself as you are now. Doesn’t your conscience criticize you? Don’t your thousand wanderings stand before you, and tell you that you are unworthy to be called His son? And if He has made you anything, aren’t you taught then that it is grace which has made you to differ? Great believer, you would have been a great sinner if God hadn’t made you different, unique. You who are bold for truth, you would have been as bold for error if grace hadn’t laid hold upon you. Therefore, don’t be proud, even though you have a large estate-a wide domain of grace, you have not a single thing to call your own except your sin and misery. Oh! Strange infatuation, that you, who has borrowed everything, should think of exalting yourself; a poor dependent pensioner upon the bounty of your Saviour, one who has a life which dies without fresh streams of life from Jesus, and yet proud! Fie on You, O silly heart!

culled from a Devotional